If you’re a Brit looking for a slower pace of life in a place with a rich cultural heritage, there’s a good chance you’ve considered France.
The estimated number of British people living in France in 2019 was more than 175,000, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Adapting to a country’s cultural norms can prove difficult even in the best of times. This process can be especially difficult if local customs are completely different from what we are used to.
This was one of the biggest hurdles for Patricia Brooks, who moved to France hoping to learn a new language.
Foreigners moving to France may face unique challenges
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The expat documented his experience on his YouTube channel and admitted that two challenges in particular stood out. Lack of personal space and unreliable delivery service.
Born in the United States, she quit her job and moved to the south of France in 2018. She explained: “It was a great experience, but there were some challenges along the way.”
“Here in France, some mail and packages don’t arrive or don’t arrive quickly enough.
“The first problem is that things aren’t being delivered, and then there’s also the problem of things being delivered slowly.”
Another confusing aspect of French culture, in Patricia’s opinion, is the perception of personal space among locals.
She explained that everyday activities like queuing to buy things were enough to make her “frustrated” by passersby getting too close.
“It’s been four and a half years now, and the only time I get really nervous is when someone is in line behind me and they’re pretty close,” she explained.
“We don’t have the same amount of human space here.” […] It’s really frustrating. ”
France is a popular travel destination among expatriates
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He warned that restaurants are often only open from 12pm to 2pm, meaning customers are limited to two hours when they want to eat out.
“What’s even more difficult and troubling is that sometimes restaurants close an hour early and don’t advertise it,” she said on YouTube.
Stores often start closing 5-10 minutes before the advertised time, making it difficult to get anything last minute.
“The French close their shops, restaurants, everything, but they don’t advertise it,” Helena explained.